SETTING
The game is set in the contentious border region between Dursia and Balgia. Dursia is under the rule of a religious faction, while Balgia grapples with political instability, struggling to assert control over its border territories, which are predominantly inhabited by ethnic Dursians.
In this volatile area, military and paramilitary units from both nations, alongside private contractors, traffickers of humans and narcotics, and humanitarian agencies, are all active. The remaining local populace does what it can to survive. This territory serves as a crossroads for refugees in search of a better existence and political dissidents fleeing persecution by the Dursian regime.
The strife commenced in 2018. Dursia was torn by a civil war between secular forces and the religious group known as True Faith, with the latter emerging victorious. This outcome precipitated a refugee crisis and further political turmoil in the adjacent Balgia. The Balgian government’s grip on the border regions weakens as refugees and armed factions infiltrate the area.
Once True Faith solidified its hold over Dursia, the conflict spilled over into Balgia. There, local militias and Dursian refugees vie for dominance. Meanwhile, illicit activities such as the cross-border drug trade and human trafficking thrive, pushing corruption to unprecedented levels.
Events so far:
2018
Dursia, a significant state on the continent, is ravaged by an enduring civil war. The conflict pits the pro-government secular forces against the “True Faith” religious faction. Neighboring countries are overwhelmed by refugee waves and often serve as staging grounds for various groups engaged in the conflict.
Balgia, adjacent to Dursia, faces a political and financial crisis. The eastern border regions, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Dursians, are in turmoil. The government’s control is non-existent over vast areas where local magnates rule like feudal lords. A mass exodus of refugees crosses the border, escaping the war, accompanied by armed “True Faith” groups seeking support from the local populace.
2019
The civil war in Dursia concludes with the religious faction’s decisive victory.
Balgia is inundated by a fresh influx of refugees. Fierce skirmishes erupt in the border areas between True Faith units and the local militia of the Organization for the Protection of Balgia, with both sides incurring substantial losses.
The Balgian authorities are on the brink of withdrawing their border and humanitarian units from the region, signaling a loss of control.
2020
The secular opposition in Dursia begins to rally. Numerous former Dursian soldiers cross into Balgia to rearm and regroup for potential incursions back into Dursia. Their operations are reportedly backed by external funding and the full support of Balgia’s paramilitary Organization for the Protection of Balgia.
Simultaneously, Balgia officially retracts all its border, humanitarian, and rescue personnel from the frontier areas.
True Faith mobilizes its entirety to confront the burgeoning cross-border menace.
2021
Dursia experiences a period of relative tranquility. The new regime consolidates its hold across the country and endeavors to normalize international relations. Fighters of the Faith integrate into the national army, and independent factions like True Faith lose their backing.
Border clashes intensify during the summer, marking a new phase in the conflict. Depleted True Faith and Balgian militia units seek fresh recruits and funding sources. The era of large-scale military campaigns appears to be over.
Concurrently, illicit cross-border activities, including drug trade and human trafficking, thrive. Billions in contraband goods traverse the Dursi-Balgian border, with corruption in these areas reaching new heights as authorities turn a blind eye or even partake in the smuggling operations.
2022
Financial constraints lead to the dissolution of Balgia’s state border forces. Their duties are assumed by Perimeter Control, a private firm, suggesting that local oligarchs are now spearheading the battle against cross-border trafficking.
The atmosphere is charged - True Faith’s well-armed factions brazenly traverse the border, challenged only by the sparse motorized patrols of the Balgian militia, while the refugee stream shows no signs of abating.
2023
This year marks a surge in cross-border traffic and the rise of a formidable cartel, colloquially dubbed ‘Taken Away’. Its enigmatic leader answers to none. Hunted by both Dursians and Balgians, including border guards, police, militia, and the devout, he amasses a fortune through smuggling.
True Faith introduces a seasoned commander and staff with a reputed background in the professional Dursian military as its new military leadership. Their territorial control is now only menaced by the outnumbered militias of the Organization for the Protection of Balgia.
Rumor has it that the Dursian government has begun paying for every head of a captured fugitive. This further motivated the ferocious orthodox fighters to organize a real manhunt in the border areas.